2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Rozhkov / Ceratonia siliqua / is an evergreen plant that belongs to the legume family. It is a deciduous tree or shrub, reaches a height of 15 meters, with a round crown and stem. It is covered with a thin black crust, which cracks with age.
Rozhkov has simple leaves with a rounded kidney-shaped shape. They are dark green above and grayish, leathery and smooth below. The flowers have a dark pink to pink-violet color, gathered in bundles of 5 colors. Characteristic of Rozhkov is the cauliflower - the flowers and later the fruits are placed directly on the older branches and trunk of the tree itself. It is believed that this makes the flowers more easily accessible for pollination.
The fruit of Rozhkov is reddish-brown and flat, is a bean pod that is approximately 10 cm long and about 2 cm wide. Inside the pod are located between 8-10 dark brown seeds with a hard shell. Rozhkov is a tree that grows extremely slowly. Lives up to 100 years.
Rozhkov is a typical tree for the Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. It is naturally distributed in some parts of Bulgaria - Black Sea coast, Stara Planina and Northeastern Bulgaria. As an ornamental tree it is grown in gardens and yards throughout the country. It blooms in early spring.
Composition of Rozhkov
Rozhkov contains 70% sugars, mucous substances, tannins, proteins, various vitamins, starch, fats, flavonoids, inositol. Rozhkov contains vitamin B1, vitamin A, vitamin B2, potassium, calcium, magnesium. Of the trace elements, iron, copper, nickel, manganese and chromium are best represented.
Selection and storage of Rozhkov
Locust bean flour can be found in specialty organic stores. It is relatively expensive - about BGN 10 for 500 g. Store it according to the instructions on the package.
Rozhkov in cooking
Rozhkov is one of the most popular sweeteners and cocoa substitutes. In the past, locust bean pods were the largest source of sugar before sugar cane and sugar beet spread. Dried locust bean fruit is traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishwat.
On the Islamic holiday of Ramadan, locust bean juice is traditionally drunk. Many people mix carob with raw cocoa to get a better taste. Locust bean pieces or powder is used as a substitute for chocolate, used for cakes and chocolates. Locust bean powder is a great substitute for cocoa powder.
We offer you a recipe for amazing biscuits with locust beans and chia seeds.
Necessary products: 1/3 tsp locust bean flour, 3 tbsp. whose seeds, 1 tsp. walnuts, 1 tsp. dark raisins, 4 dates, a pinch of salt. Pour all the products into a blender and beat them well until you get a mixture that looks like dough.
Roll out the finished dough and cut it with the help of cookie cutters. Then place them in the freezer to firm up well.
If you are a fan of milk at bedtime, you can add 1 tbsp. horn powder, a little honey and vanilla. This way you will get a very fragrant and soothing drink.
Benefits of Rozhkov
Even in ancient Egypt, they mixed oatmeal with locust bean pods, honey and wax. The resulting mixture was used for diarrhea. In the 1st century. Dionysus mentions that carob helps in digestive disorders and relieves stomach pain. It may sound contradictory, but it works for both diarrhea and constipation.
The mode of action depends on the method of preparation of the herb - a decoction of the fleshy part of the fruit is used to eliminate irritation in the intestines, and the bark is a strong astringent and is used to treat diarrhea.
Rozhkov is used as food supplement in acute diseases, enterocolitis, dyspepsia, gluten intolerance. Locust fruit is rich in inositol, which has a positive effect on women with polycystic ovaries and people with insulin resistance.
Dietary fiber in locust bean not only aids digestion, but also significantly strengthens the digestive system and prevents the development of more serious problems.
As mentioned, locust bean is used as an alternative to chocolate. Carob does not contain caffeine, phenylethylamine and theobromine - ingredients that are found in every chocolate in the store network and that can cause allergic reactions and migraines in some people. Rozhkov also does not contain oxalic acid, which interferes with the absorption of calcium and zinc.
Carob is naturally low in fat, which makes it extremely suitable for consumption while on a diet.
It does not contain gluten and can be easily consumed by people with such intolerance. As it does not contain caffeine, it can be consumed by young children and by people who for one reason or another cannot use caffeinated products.
Carob is believed to have excellent anti-cancer properties. It contains valuable polyphenols, which determine the antioxidant activity of locust bean.
Locust bean flour it can even be used for weight loss. It turns out that locust bean fiber is more special because it suppresses the secretion of ghrelin - the hormone that tells the body that it is hungry and needs to eat. Thanks to these fibers, locust bean reduces hunger in the body and is very effective in following diets.
Harms from Rozhkov
In general, locust bean and its products are safe. However, in very rare cases, it is possible to observe allergic manifestations after the consumption of locust bean.
See our suggestions for carob desserts.
